LilSugar

Things That Make a Mom a Playground Princess

babysugar — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:00:00 PDT

Every playground has one. The mom who seems to be there from dawn to dusk, rain or shine. The one that other moms nod hello to in recognition as well as sympathy, knowing that she'll be spending her entire day there...again. She's the Playground Princess and if you're spending more time in the park than anywhere else, she could be you. Here are 10 signs that you should be crowned royalty at your playground.

You have a favorite bench, and nobody else dares to sit in it.
You know the park keeper's schedules so well - and they know yours – that you bring each other coffee each day.
Friends don't ask where to meet for a playdate, they just show up at your park at the appointed time.
You enter the park's restroom on a steady schedule – exactly two minutes behind the cleaning crew's schedule.
You know which kids hog the swings and can slip your lil ones onto the equipment before the others notice.

For five other ways to know you're the playground princess,

You judge the weather forecast by whether or not you and the kids will need sweaters on the jungle gym.
You're the mayor of your park on Foursquare and Facebook Places. Or you would be if you checked in.
You know which pieces of equipment your kids are on not by looking up, but by how long you've been in the park.
You eagerly anticipate new playground equipment the way other women await a shoe sale at Nordstrom.
You determine the end of Summer not by when the kids go back to school, but by when they turn the sprinklers off.

Have some playground princess traits of your own? Share them in the comments below.

5 Fun Ways to Work Out at the Park

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:50:48 PDT

When a mama takes her babes to the park, she can pretty much guarantee the kiddos have a good time while expending some physical energy. There's really no reason she can't do the same. While the little ones beg to go higher and higher, mummy can get lower and lower - all in the name of fitness and fun. Come check out five easy ways to squeeze in a workout at the park!

Be sure to enter LilSugar's giveaway for a chance to win a Mountain Buggy Terrain Jogging Stroller!

Kid Collector: Get Nostalgic With These Schoolyard Trading Trends

LilSugar — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 06:00:00 PDT

We're heading back to the schoolyard for a look at some of the most popular trading trends that have taken place during recess. Whether you used to lug your big ole box of baseball cards in your backpack or slip a few dozen jelly bracelets on your arm, most children partook in swapping one of these memorable products.

Imagination Playgrounds Make For Constructive Children's Play

babysugar — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:00:25 PDT

If we don't build it, kids will come! Most playgrounds are filled with standard equipment: slides, monkey bars, swings, and a jungle gym. The stationary objects can lead to hours of fun, but don't do much to inspire creativity. David Rockwell, the architect and designer behind trendy restaurants and the Oscar's set design, is changing the way children play with a new playground set to open in New York City later this month.

The Imagination Playground looks like a work in progress with a mess of loose, blue foam blocks (all biodegradable and antimicrobial) and wheels laying around. But once a group of kids get their hands on the pieces, they work together to create their own creations. The park is staffed by trained associates who don't direct play, but ensure that the environment is safe. Through a partnership with KaBOOM!, Imagination Playgrounds might pop up in more American communities. Rockwell's "playground in a box" is filled with select pieces from the permanent NYC park to encourage sand and water play in smaller areas.

We had the opportunity to see a traveling version of the playground last weekend and witnessed a group of enthusiastic tots build a virtual water park complete with a towering waterfall, spinning wheels, and a sand pit.

View 5 Photos ›

Ways Helicopter Moms Can Ease Into Free-Range Parenting

babysugar — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:30:18 PDT

Drop the kiddos off at this Saturday's first ever Take Our Children to the Park . . . And Leave Them There Day. Playgrounds are abuzz with parents discussing the amount of freedom children need. The day, which free-range parenting pioneer Lenore Skenazy created to draw attention to today's tendency toward over-parenting, is encouraging mom and dad to allow their kids - particularly those over 7 years old - to play without restrictions.

But for parents who aren't ready to leave their kiddos completely alone, we have three tips to ease your way into allowing them more freedom.

If an entire afternoon at the park sounds too scary, try five- and 10-minute increments of freedom.
If you're used to hovering over your child on the jungle gym, try sitting on a bench and watching from afar. You'll still be close enough to keep tabs on things.
Rather than tote a bag filled with toys and equipment, let your child lead the way. See where some unstructured play time leads them.

Five Tips For Remaining Playground Safe

LilSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:00:48 PDT

Keep monkeying around on the playground – but do so safely! Neighborhood playgrounds filled with jungle gyms, slides and fireman poles that keep lil ones occupied throughout the day also pose potential hazards that can thwart an otherwise fun afternoon. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 200,000 children visit the emergency room each year for playground injuries. Before packing up the snacks and sporting equipment, check out our top five tips for keeping lil hands, heads and legs free from injury.

Don't ride on slides with your tots. According to a new study, placing a child on your lap to ride down a slide can significantly increase the possibility of fracturing their legs. When a child's leg gets stuck against the side of a slide, the pressure from a parent behind them can cause it to bend in ways that force it to break.
Keep swinging on the swing set, not from mama's arms. Though swinging from mommy's arms may be fun, the pressure from doing so can cause lil elbow bones to be pulled partially out of joint, leading to a condition called Nursemaid Elbow that can be very painful for tots.

To see the rest of the helpful reminders,

Check the location of jungle gyms. A majority of playground injuries are a result of falls to the surface. Play structures, like jungle gyms, monkey bars and swing sets, should be anchored over at least nine inches of shredded rubber, wood chips or mulch rather than concrete, dirt or grass. The softer substances are better at cushioning falls.
Remove strings from kids' clothes. Avoid the possibility of strangulation by removing ties from hoodies and loose strings from clothing, as well as tightly tying shoelaces before climbing aboard a jungle gym.
Keep track of how hot it is. Metal slides and rubber playground surfaces in direct sunlight can quickly absorb the sun's heat. Before allowing wee ones to go down the slide, or slip off their shoes, check the surfaces with the palm of your hand to ensure they are safe for your child's tender skin.

If you have any other playground tips to share, remember to mosey on over to The Mommy Club and serve them up for the rest of us!

Mommy Dearest: I Forbid My Son From the Sandbox

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:00:26 PDT

Mommy Dearest,

I live in NYC where the neighborhood playground is part of my family's daily routine. I've gotten over my fear of germs on the jungle gym and swing equipment, but the sandbox is a whole other story. Convinced that rodents and insects visit the sandbox during the night and leave their excrement behind, I've forbidden my three-year-old son from playing in it. His father, grandparents and nanny know my fears, but the other day his caretaker allowed him to play in it with his friends. When I stopped by for a visit and told him to get out, it caused a big scene. How should I handle this situation without the daily fuss?

- No Sandbox for My Son

To see the response from Mommy Dearest,

No Sandbox for My Son,

Every mother has the right to make choices and set rules when it comes to her child's well-being. And, those wishes should be respected by your son's caretakers. Young kids are very tactile in their learning so the sandbox, especially when it is filled with one's friends, may be very tempting. Since your boy has so many years at the park in front of him, you need to decide if your fear of filthy sentiment is worth the daily battles.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

Cool Idea: Play in Public

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:00:07 PDT

We may not remember rocking away in bouncy seats as infants, but I'm sure we all remember playing on swing sets as kids. In either case, was it ever not fun? I think not. So, why are Trix just for kids? And why should play be relegated just to playgrounds and backyards? I think adults should get a piece of the fun and games, and play should be accepted in public, and apparently so does British industrial design student Bruno Taylor.The renegade playground builder has decided that it's about time we bring play back into public space. He has created a project which incorporates incidental play in the public realm, including a public bench that bounces, for all to use, and the installation of swings into existing bus stops. Is that rad or what? To see a video of Taylor's swing being installed guerrilla-style into a bus stop,

Source

Get Physical: Playground Workout

FitSugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT

Your local playground is not just for child's play; it is a workout waiting to happen, and a fun one at that. If you happen to have kids and they drag you to the park. Don't sit idly by, try some of these moves. If you don't have a kid, just go and have fun and remember to share the monkey bars with the wee ones.

On the swing: Instead of using your legs to pump, hold your legs straight out in front of you. Not only will this target your abs, but you'll use the muscles in your arms and back to keep up your swinging momentum.
On a bench: Do tricep dips.
On the monkey bars: You may be too tall, so hold onto the first bar and use your abs and quads to bend your knees and lift them up off the ground. Then one at a time, move your hands across the bars to get to the other end. This is a killer upper body workout.

For more ideas

On a swing: Stand in front of the swing (with your back towards it) and place your palms on the ground. Rest the front of your ankles on the swing and walk your hands out so your body is in one straight line, then do push-ups, bending your elbows and lowering your chest to the ground. Do as many as you can. If there's no swing, place your feet on a step instead.
On the monkey bars: You can also hold onto the bar overhead and then lift both your legs up and hook your knees around one bar. Allow your torso to hang upside down. Then work your abs by crossing your arms over your chest, and then lift your shoulders up towards your thighs. Do as many as you can.
On the balance bar: Practice balancing yoga poses like Tree and Dancer.
On the stairs: Stretch your hamstrings by placing your right heel about three to five steps up, straighten your right leg, and then fold your torso forward. Then do the other leg. You can stretch your hip flexors too by stepping your right foot flat about three to five steps up, bend your right knee, and lean your torso forward. Do this on the other side too.

If you have any other ideas for using the playground to work your body, share them in the comment section below.

Do You Let Your Kids Kick Off Their Shoes in the Sand?

LilSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:18:24 PDT

There are two kinds of kids at the park - those that keep their shoes on and those that slip theirs off. The fear of germs, glass shards and hypodermic needles nestled in the sand have some parents telling their children to keep their laces tied. While others allow their tots to toss their kicks off and enjoy the freedom of bare feet. What do you do?
Source